NFL analyst gives short-sighted view on Commanders quarterback search

The current dilemma facing the Washington Commanders at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft seems to take a different turn every minute. Adam Peters and Dan Quinn went down an unusual route for their final chance to assess each quarterback candidate, bringing them all together in a more relaxed setting and examining how their different personalities mesh.

It's an unconventional method, but something Adam Peters has experience with previously. The San Francisco 49ers brought prospects in at the same time when he held a prominent front-office position with the franchise. While not commonplace around the league, the new general manager believes it was beneficial enough to bring the strategy to Washington.

Analyst blasts Commanders quarterback approach

This came with raised eyebrows and intrigue among media and analysts alike. Not everyone approved, with Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk criticizing the approach. He saw it as a way for majority ownership partner Josh Harris to spend time with each prospect before making a potential recommendation.

"It was comical, to say the least, to see some in the media twist themselves into knots to praise the Commanders for bringing four top quarterback prospects in for a visit on the same day. From my perspective, it makes no sense.

"What’s the point in having Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy, and Michael Penix in the building on the same day? The only argument we’ve seen is that they want to see how the four will interact. Why? Who cares? When will the four of them ever be together again?

"It’s not a criticism. It’s an effort to make sense of the nonsensical. If the reason for bringing all four of them in on the same day isn’t that [Josh] Harris wanted to carve out one day to meet with all of them, there’s no reason to do it this way."

The Commanders have gone through comprehensive assessments throughout their pre-draft evaluations. Countless hours of game film have been studied. They spoke with the quarterbacks in question at the NFL Scouting Combine and their respective pro days. This was likely followed by more film studies and lengthy discussions about what the best route forward is.

This final assessment method breaks away from the norm. The Commanders aren't going to find out anything new about each prospect from a performance standpoint or how they act around a football operation. Getting their guard down a little within a social setting is the best way to see their real personalities come to the fore.

So what if it's not the traditional way of going about 30 visits? Florio missed one major point in his criticism. If the Commanders are still scratching around for clues by this point, there's a good chance their evaluations haven't been thorough or missed the objective entirely.

At the end of a long, exhausting process for teams and prospects alike, having a little fun at the end of it isn't the worst idea in the world. And if that was done to allow Harris a chance to find out a little more, that's fine too.

His ownership group spent $6.05 billion to wrestle the Commanders from Dan Snyder's grasp. He's made significant investments in the team's infrastructure. Harris is well within his right to attend meetings as an observer. What makes this different from previous regimes is he'll let the football people make football decisions.

Analysts are always looking for something to moan about at this time of year. Florio is no different.